Pelosi, Snow slam critics: 'Silly story'

Edward Epstein, Chronicle Washington Bureau

Published 8:45 am, Thursday, February 8, 2007

2007-02-08 09:45:00 PST WASHINGTON D.C. -- A political odd couple, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and White House spokesman Tony Snow, today slammed critics of Pelosi's bid to use a government plane that can fly her nonstop between Washington and her home district in San Francisco.

"This is a silly story, and I think it's been unfair to the speaker," Snow told reporters.

What's especially notable about the Bush White House coming to Democrat Pelosi's defense is that many House Republican leaders have been the most outspoken critics of the negotiations that have been going on between the House sergeant at arms, a GOP appointee, and the Air Force over what plane Pelosi should have access to.

"We think it's important that the speaker of the House enjoy the same kind of security that we arranged for Speaker Hastert in the wake of Sept. 11. And like I said, I think that there's been a lot of over-hyped reporting on this," Snow said.

Asked by reporters about the Republican criticism -- which has included charges that she wants an "Air Force Three" or a "Flying Lincoln Bedroom" -- Pelosi denounced officials at the Defense Department for leaking information about the House-Air Force negotiations. She said she suspected that officials loyal to former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld were behind the leaks.

She also said that if the government can't provide a plane that meets security specifications, she will fly on commercial planes along with her security entourage. That's how she flew before becoming speaker early last month. Since then, she has flown once on a government plane, her aide said Wednesday.

Pelosi, the first woman speaker in U.S. history, also said she thought she was being subjected to a double standard because of her sex.

"As a woman speaker of the House, I don't want any less opportunity than male speakers who they send here," she said.

After 9/11, Hastert was given access to a 12-seat jet that could easily fly between Washington and his district in Chicago's far western suburbs. That plane apparently could not fly nonstop to San Francisco, so the sergeant at arms inquired about a bigger plane with greater range.

But such GOP House leaders as Minority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri and Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Fla., House Republican conference chairman, criticized Pelosi for trying to get a bigger plane on which she could carry staff, relatives, other House members or even political supporters.

Pelosi said that Bill Livingood, the sergeant at arms, was negotiating guidelines with the Pentagon. She also said that President Bush had personally expressed to her concerns about her safety.

Late Wednesday, the Pentagon sent Pelosi a letter saying that it could not guarantee her access to a plane that could fly coast to coast nonstop.

The Pentagon acted even after it heard from Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., the powerful chairman of the House military appropriations subcommittee. He said he strongly suggested to Pentagon officials that they provide Pelosi with whatever plane the House felt appropriate.

On Thursday, the House Democrats met in caucus and heard from Murtha, who apparently did not like the decision made by the Pentagon. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., the caucus vice chair, said Murtha told the Democrats that he had requested complete records on President Bush's and Vice President Cheney's use of government planes since they took office in 2001.

"She should have access to a plane that takes the speaker to wherever she needs to go in her line of duty," Larson said.

Asked about the controversy, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said, "It's clear after 9/11 that the White House suggested that Speaker Hastert fly on military aircraft. Having access to a plane for the speaker is appropriate.

"But the questions are about friends, relatives and supporters" who might fly with Pelosi, he said. "It appears to be over the top."

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